Rhetorical Analysis Of Abigail Adams Letter To Her Son

In 1780, Abigail Adams wrote to her son John Quincy Adams to assure him traveling and exploring overseas with his father, John Adams, is very beneficial both for him and the country. Abigail's letter is very effective because of the rhetoric strategies she uses to advise her son. She writes using an anxious motherly tone, effective metaphors, expectations set high, and patriotic appeals to convey her purpose of the importance of her son expanding his horizons. Abigail urges her son to be determined and hardworking by appealing to his love and care for her and flattering him with compliments in the second paragraph. She highlights and compliments his great “knowledge of language” but adds how traveling will give him “greater advantages” to improve. Abigail begins her letter by saying “My Dear Son” to show her love for him and that she does not wish to reprimand him, but rather encourage and advise him along the way. She then appeals to his emotions by stating her greatest concern is his safety

By saying “the further it flows...through rich veins... to improve...qualities” she reveals to her son that while traveling he should take advantage to improve himself. He is privileged to do this by experiencing enriching opportunities such as immersion in new cultures, improving his language skills, and listening and leading from his very intelligent father. Also on this paragraph she sets expectations for her son. She reveals “you, my son, that, as you are favored with superior advantages under the instructive eye of a tender parent, your improvement should be there some proportion to your advantages.” Therefore, she expects her son to work hard and take advantage of this opportunity because he was born into a wealthy and noble family where everything in life has been given to